Fuel injection throttle body

ABSTRACT

A throttle body fuel injection system including a throttle body with at least one air intake, a fuel injector coupled to the throttle body at a fuel port and an annular ring coupled to the cylindrical inner wall of the air intake. The annular ring includes a primary fuel discharge orifice adjacent to the fuel port and a plurality of secondary fuel discharge orifices arranged radially around the annular ring for spraying atomized fuel into the air intake.

CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This continuation patent application claims priority to and benefit of,under 35 U.S.C. § 120, U.S. Divisional patent application Ser. No.15/986,571, filed May 22, 2018, titled “Fuel Injection Throttle Body”,which claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 121, to U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/156,813, filed Jan. 16, 2014, titled “Fuel InjectionThrottle Body”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 61/892,706, filed on Oct. 18, 2013, titled “Fuel InjectionThrottle Body”, all of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Throttle Body Fuel Injection (“TBI”) is a type of Electronic FuelInjection (“EFI”) for internal combustion engines that became mainstream in factory vehicles during the 1980's. TBI Fuel Injectionconsists of an air metering valve that contains fuel injectors. The airmetering valve allows more airflow as driver depresses gas pedal. Thefuel injectors add fuel as a function of airflow. The TBI is controlledby an Electronic Control Unit (“ECU”).

Factory car producers moved away from this type of fuel injection asgovernment emissions standards increased in the mid-to-late 1980's.However, the aftermarket automotive parts industry started sellingaftermarket TBI fuel injection systems in the late 1980's. These systemswere designed to replace the carburetor on older carbureted vehiclesfrom the 1960's to 1980's.

One of the limitations of many aftermarket fuel injection systems isthat the end consumer has to have a significant level of knowledge ontuning the ECU that controlled these systems. Recently, technology hasadvanced and several companies now offer systems that are “self-tuning”,where the end consumer only has to perform basic installation, and theECU monitors various sensors and automatically tunes itself. This hascaused resurgence in people purchasing TBI systems to retrofit oldercarbureted vehicles. The main benefit of TBI fuel injection is the factthat it can be retrofit fairly easy on older carbureted vehicles, onmany different applications, as compared to other types of fuelinjection methods such as Multiport EFI, which requires replacement of amultitude of original engine components.

Factory TBI system designs utilized fuel injectors that sprayed fuel athigher pressure that were placed vertically above the throttle plates ofthe throttle body. Mostly due to aesthetics, and available fuel injectordesigns, most aftermarket TBI systems place fuel injectors horizontally(or close to a horizontal position) into the sides of the throttle body.Unlike the factory TBI designs, this horizontal placement requires athrottle body design that redirects the normal fuel injector spraypattern. If fuel is not directed into the throttle body in a way thatatomizes the fuel so it can thoroughly mix with the airstream throughthe throttle body, the engine may not run smoothly, may not makeadequate power, and may have poor fuel economy and emissions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the limitations of current aftermarket TBI designs,embodiments of this invention are such, that a conventional highpressure electronically controlled fuel injector sprays into a chamberthat is constrained by an annular fuel distribution ring. The annularfuel distribution ring may contain at least one radial channel andorifices coupled to the channel. The orifices allow the fuel to exitinto the air stream from several positions around the circumference ofan air intake in the throttle body, allowing the fuel to mix with theair and enter the engine in an optimally atomized state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a throttle body with annular fuelinjection according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is cross-section view A-A of the throttle body of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is detail view C of the throttle body of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is cross-section view B-B of the throttle body of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is detail view D of the throttle body of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an isometric bottom view of a throttle body with annular fuelinjection according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is detail view E of the throttle body of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an isometric top view of the annular ring element according toan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic isometric view showing the fuel injection and airflow according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Shown in FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a throttle body 100 having fuelrails 110 aligned horizontally near the bottom surface of the throttlebody 100. The fuel rails 110 provide pressurized fuel to the fuelinjectors 120, which couple to the throttle body 100 at fuel ports 210(not shown). In some embodiments the fuel injectors 120 may be alignedhorizontally in respect to the throttle body 100. In other embodimentsthe fuel injectors 120 may be aligned at an angle above or belowhorizontal in respect to the throttle body 100.

As shown in FIGS. 2-7, each fuel rail 110 may be coupled to one or morefuel injectors 120. Each fuel injector 120 provides fuel through a fuelport 210 into an annular ring 240 positioned in an air intake 220 of thethrottle body 100 below the throttle plate 230. The annular ring 240includes an annular fuel channel 250 for distributing fuel around theannular ring 240 to a plurality of fuel discharge orifices 260 and 270.The plurality of fuel discharge orifices 260 and 270 are configured toatomize and spray the fuel into the air intake 220 from multipledirections.

In some embodiments there may be a larger primary fuel discharge orifice260 aligned in front of the fuel port 210 along with a plurality ofsmaller secondary fuel discharge orifices 270 aligned radially aroundthe annular ring 240. In various embodiments the secondary fueldischarge orifices 270 may vary in size and shape as desired. In someembodiments the fuel discharge orifices 260 and 270 may be of circular,ovular, elliptical, and/or polygonal shapes.

In one embodiment the primary fuel discharge orifice 260 may be a 0.25inch diameter circular orifice. In other embodiments the primary fueldischarge orifice 260 may be a 0.28 to 0.40 inch wide by 0.155ovular-slot orifice.

In one embodiment the secondary fuel discharge orifices 270 may be 0.047to 0.100 inch diameter circular orifices. The secondary fuel dischargeorifices 270 may be spaced radially around the annular ring 240 atangular separations of 20 to 38 degrees from adjacent orifices.

In a preferred embodiment the annular ring 240 includes a 0.28 inch wideby 0.155 inch ovular-slot high primary fuel discharge orifice 260 andthirteen 0.047 inch diameter circular secondary fuel discharge orifices270 radially spaced at 20-38 degrees apart from adjacent orifices, andcentered on the primary fuel discharge orifice 260, as shown in FIG. 8.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the primary fueldischarge orifice 260 and the secondary fuel discharge orifices 270 mayeach be a variety of shapes having close to the same orifice openingareas as those described in the various embodiments of the invention.

During operation, air enters the throttle body 100 through an air intake220. The flow rate of the air through the air intake 220 is regulated bythe throttle plate 230, which may be controlled electromechanically byan ECU (not shown), or mechanically. Pressurized fuel flows through afuel rail 110 and into a fuel injector 120 controlled by the ECU, whichregulates the amount of fuel flowing through the fuel port 210 into theair intake 220. As shown in FIG. 9, the fuel flow exits the fuel port210 a portion of the fuel enters the air flow 920 in the air intake 220through the primary fuel discharge orifice 260 as atomized fuel 910. Theremainder of the fuel enters the annular fuel channel 250 and exits theannular fuel channel 250 through the secondary fuel discharge orifices270 and enters the air flow 920 in the air intake 220 as atomized fuel910.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, 40% to 60% of the fuel entersthe air intake 220 though the primary fuel discharge orifice 260.

In various embodiments the throttle body 100 may have one or more airintakes 220 with each air intake 220 including a throttle plate 230, afuel injector 120, and an annular ring 240.

In some embodiments of the throttle body 100, the annular fuel channel250 may be a part of the throttle body 100 rather than of part of theannular ring 240. In other embodiments the throttle body 100 and annularring 240 may include complimentary portions of the annular fuel channel250.

In some embodiments the inner wall air intake 220 may have a largerdiameter equal to the outer diameter of the annular ring 240 near thebottom to accommodate the annular ring 240 so the inner wall of the airintake 220 and the annular ring 240 form a smooth continuous surface toaid air flow.

In some embodiments the annular ring 240 may include an annular groove410 or other means to aid the installing and/or removing the annularring 240 from the throttle body 100.

In various embodiments the annular ring 240 may be coupled to thethrottle body 100 by one or more of a press fit, threads, a frictionfit, mechanical fasteners, adhesives, and welds.

In various embodiments the annular ring 240 may be made of aluminum,steel, cast iron, other metals, plastics, composites, or other materialsand/or combinations of materials suitable for throttle bodyapplications.

In the preceding specification, various preferred exemplary embodimentshave been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Itwill, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may bemade thereto, and additional exemplary embodiments may be implemented,without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forthin the claims that follow. The specification and drawings areaccordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictivesense.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A fuel injection throttle body for aninternal combustion engine, comprising: an air intake extending throughsaid fuel injection throttle body; a fuel port in said fuel injectionthrottle body; an electronic fuel injector disposed in said fuelinjection throttle body, said electronic fuel injector in fluidcommunication with a fuel supply and with said fuel port; a fuel channeldisposed about an inner wall of said air intake; said fuel channelformed by one or both of an annular ring and said inner wall of said airintake, said annular ring disposed within said air intake and along saidinner wall of said air intake; a plurality of orifices disposed in saidannular ring and in fluid communication with said fuel channel; whereinpressurized fuel is forced through said fuel port, through said fuelchannel, and through said plurality of orifices in order to mix with airmoving through said air intake; a throttle shaft and throttle platedisposed within said air intake for rotation therein to vary an air flowmoving through the air intake; and, an electronic control unit tocontrol fuel flow from said electronic fuel injector.
 2. The fuelinjection throttle body of claim 1, said plurality of orifices orientedin one of a radial direction or a non-radial direction.
 3. The fuelinjection throttle body of claim 1, said fuel injection throttle bodyconfigured to replace a carburetor.
 4. The fuel injection throttle bodyof claim 1, said fuel port having an axis that is substantiallyperpendicular to said throttle shaft.
 5. A fuel injection throttle body,comprising: an air intake extending from an upper side of said fuelinjection throttle body to a lower side and defining a flow path for airthrough said fuel injection throttle body; a fuel port disposed in saidfuel injection throttle body; an electronic fuel injector disposed insaid fuel port of said fuel injection throttle body, said fuel portreceiving fuel from said electronic fuel injector; a fuel channeldefined by an inner wall of said air intake, an annular ring, or both;said annular ring positioned at said inner wall of said air intake; aplurality of orifices disposed through said annular ring, said pluralityof orifices in fluid communication with said fuel channel, said fuelport, and said electronic fuel injector to disperse fuel into said airintake; an electronic control unit to control the electronic fuelinjector ; a shaft extending through said air intake and a throttleplate disposed on said shaft, said throttle plate rotatable to varyairflow through said air intake; said fuel injection throttle bodyconfigured to replace a carburetor of an internal combustion engine. 6.The fuel injection throttle body of claim 5 wherein said plurality oforifices are either radially oriented or non-radially oriented.
 7. Thefuel injection throttle body of claim 6 wherein said plurality oforifices are each spaced apart between 20 and 38 degrees.
 8. The fuelinjection throttle body of claim 5 wherein said fuel is atomized whenentering the air intake.
 9. The fuel injection throttle body of claim 5wherein said fuel port is oriented at an angle relative to said shaft.